Auxiliary air valve



Patented Aug. 26, 1924;,

PATENT GFFICE.

ALBERT E, LEGGETT, OF SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

AUXILIAR-Y ATR# VALVE.

Application 'filed June 8,

T @ZZ whom t may Concern.'

lle it known that ALBERT E. LEGGETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and State of California,has invented new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Air Valves, ofwhich the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to internal combusio tion engines, andparticularly pertains to an auxiliary air valve therefor.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a valveadapted to be used in conjunction with the gaseous fuel supply system ofan internal combustion engine, and designed to deliver variable amountsof air to the gaseous fuel whereby the richness of the gaseous mixturemay be varied.

Heretofore numerous means have been provided for admitting air to thegaseous fuel of an engine, but in most cases these devices have beenunsatisfactory, due to the fact that the air could not be accuratelycontrolled, thoroughly mixed with the gas, or

the control means readily operated; and it is a principal object of thepresent invention to provide an auxiliary air valve which may beinstantly operated by a very slight movement, after which it will remainin its set position and will permit an iniiow of air to the intakemanifold of the engine in finely divided parts which will be thoroughlymixed with the gas.

The present invention contemplates the use of a valve casing having setsof perforations through and around the wall thereof and an internalvalve seat, said casing carrying a valve member mounted upon a quickacting valve stem by which it may be instantly advanced or retracted,

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing oneapplication of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in central section through the valve membershowing the construction and arrangement of the parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 10 indicates an internalcombustion engine having an intake manifold 11 connected with acarbureter 12. Operatively connected with the intake manifold at a point55 between the engine and the carbureter is 1921'. Seli'al No. 4175.904.

an auxiliary air valve 13 with which the present invention isparticularly concerned.

As shown in the drawings the valve is con.- nectod with the manifold bya reducing elbow 14, one end of which is threaded into the manifold, theopposite end being interiorly threaded to receive the cylindrical casing15 of the valve. This casing is tubular, being of the same Aoutsidediameter throughout its length and having two different inside diameterswhereby a tapered valve seat 16 will be formed. This seat is adapted toreceive the tapered end face of a valve plunger 17. The valve plunger isintended to reciprocate longitudinally of the casing F and is mountedupon a stem 1 8. This stem extends through a nut 19 secured in the largebore of the casing. The stem is formed with a length of screw thread 20,which thread is of very long pitch so that a partial revolution of thestem will cause considerable longitudinal movement of the valve plunger.Attention is directed to the fact that the valve plunger is formed witha cylindrical portion 0f a diameter somewhat less than that of the largeinternal bore of the valve casing, thus forming an annular passageway 21between the side of the plunger and the inner face of t-he casing. Thisarrangement is provided to allow circulation of air through sets ofperforations 22 and 23 in the side wall of the casing, and thencethrough the reduced bore of the casing to the manifold. As shown, oneset of small perforations 22 is provided near the valve seat 16, and aset of larger perforations 23 is disposed adjacent thereto and fartherfrom the valve seat. These perforations are distributed around. thecircumference of the casing so that al plurality of finely divided jetsof air may be drawn into the casing due to the engine suction of themanifold.

The nut 19 is held in position by set screws 24 which pass through thesides of the casing and extend into radial openings through the nut.These set screws also bear against pieces of cork 25, or other frictionproducing material which will tend to engage the surface of the valvestem 18 and will cause the valve to remain in any set position withoutaccidental movement.

For the sake of convenience a coupling structure 26 is provided at theend of the valve stem and connects with an operating rod 27. This rodmay be led directly to the loo dashboard of the automobile, as shown inFig. l.

In the operation of the present invention, the valve is applied to theengine as previously described, and under normal conditions the valveplunger 17 is forced tight against the valve seat 16. This will causethe gas from the carbureter to be delivered to the engine 'withoutdilution.' In the event that a leaner mixture is required, the valvestem 18 may be rotated af'fraction of a revolution, thus instantlymoving the valve plunger from its seat and permitting the suction of theengine to draw air in through the passageways 22 and 28. The effectivearea ofthe orifices will of course be regulated by the distance thevalve plunger is moved from its seat and also the proportion of theopenings 22 and 23 uncovered. The air will pass between the bevelledfaces of the plunger and the valve seat and then unite with the gaseousfuel traveling through the manifold.

It will thus be seen that the valve structure here disclosed providessimple and instantly operating means for admitting desired quantities offresh air to a gaseous mixture.

While I have shown the preferred form Lacasse of my invention, it is tobe understood that various changes might be made in the structure bythose skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

In a device of the character described comprising a tubular casinghaving lengths of different internal diameters whereby a valve seat willbe formed at the juncture thereof; a valve plunger normally positionedupon said valve seat; a plurality of perforations through the side wallof the casing adjacent said plunger and opposite the eduction end of thecasing; a nut in the outer end of the casing; a quick acting valve stemextending through said nut; means for rotating the same;v and frictionmembers carried by the nut to engage the circumference of the stem; andscrews simultaneously holding the nut in position relative to the casingand exerting a desired pressure upon the friction members.

ALBERT E. LEGGETT. W'itnesses A. LocKE, A. J. CAUGHEY.

